What is producer?
Last verified
producer means: The person a packaging law holds responsible for a product's packaging. Maine's statute defines the producer separately for each way a product is contained, protected, delivered, presented or distributed, so who counts depends on the brand and sales chain.
What does producer mean?
This is the definition Instica uses for producer in its EPR dataset. The wording below is checked against the source named beside it.
producer: The person a packaging law holds responsible for a product's packaging. Maine's statute defines the producer separately for each way a product is contained, protected, delivered, presented or distributed, so who counts depends on the brand and sales chain. (Source: legislature.maine.gov, retrieved September 29, 2026).
Original wording
"Producer" means: (1) For a product contained, protected, delivered, presented or distributed in or using packaging materialSource: legislature.maine.gov
What is producer called in other languages?
Packaging producers search for producer in their own language and under the name their national scheme uses. The dataset records 2 local terms, each with the home analogy a reader of that language already knows.
| Language | Local term | Also called | Closest home analogy |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | producer | – | – |
| German | Primärverpflichtete | – | – |
- German — Local definition
- Im österreichischen Abfallwirtschaftsgesetz die Personen, die für in Verkehr gesetzte Verpackungen in erster Linie verpflichtet sind.
Where does producer apply?
producer appears in the rules of 2 jurisdictions in the dataset. The table gives the duty and the regulator for each; the sections after it list every sourced rule.
Maine: the rules behind the term
14 sourced rules for Maine. Each statement names its source and the date Instica retrieved it, and a rule without a primary source shows as not yet published.
In Maine, packaging producer duties rest on Maine Stewardship Program for Packaging, 38 M.R.S. section 2146 (Source: maine.gov, retrieved September 29, 2026).
Producers that place packaging on the market in Maine carry a producer responsibility duty (Source: legislature.maine.gov, retrieved September 29, 2026).
The regulator named for Maine is Maine Department of Environmental Protection (Source: legislature.maine.gov, retrieved September 29, 2026).
Maine organises producer duties through a single producer responsibility organisation (Source: maine.gov, retrieved September 29, 2026).
Producers must register in Maine; the registry is Producers register with the stewardship organization (not yet contracted) (Source: maine.gov, retrieved September 29, 2026).
In Maine, a revenue threshold applies: below $2,000,000 (total gross revenue, prior calendar year); it exempts producers below it (Source: legislature.maine.gov, retrieved September 29, 2026).
In Maine, a tonnage threshold applies: below 1 short tons (packaging material sold into Maine, prior calendar year); it exempts producers below it (Source: legislature.maine.gov, retrieved September 29, 2026).
In Maine, a tonnage threshold applies: below 15 short tons (packaging material, prior calendar year; more than one ton and under 15 tons); it reduces the obligation (Source: legislature.maine.gov, retrieved September 29, 2026).
Maine recognises this exemption: A nonprofit organisation exempt under 501(c)(3) is not a producer. It applies without a separate application (Source: legislature.maine.gov, retrieved September 29, 2026).
In Maine, a registration deadline falls on a date the source does not fix (Source: maine.gov, retrieved September 29, 2026).
In Maine, a reporting deadline falls on May 31, 2027 (Source: maine.gov, retrieved September 29, 2026).
In Maine, a payment deadline falls on July 1, 2027 (Source: maine.gov, retrieved September 29, 2026).
The penalty rule is not yet published. Reason recorded: Section 2146 states no penalty amount; general enforcement provisions of Title 38 were not read.
The recycling targets is not yet published. Reason recorded: Performance targets were not read in full.
Original wording
In July 2021, the Legislature passed a law establishing Maine’s Stewardship Program for Packaging, 38 M.R.S. § 2146.Source: maine.gov
Austria: the rules behind the term
8 sourced rules for Austria. Each statement names its source and the date Instica retrieved it, and a rule without a primary source shows as not yet published.
In Austria, packaging producer duties rest on Austrian packaging EPR: AWG 2002 (Abfallwirtschaftsgesetz 2002) and Verpackungsverordnung 2014 (VVO 2014) (Source: ris.bka.gv.at, retrieved September 29, 2026).
Producers that place packaging on the market in Austria carry a producer responsibility duty (Source: ris.bka.gv.at, retrieved September 29, 2026).
Austria organises producer duties through more than one producer responsibility organisation: Altstoff Recycling Austria AG (ARA) (Source: ris.bka.gv.at, retrieved September 29, 2026).
Producers must register in Austria; the registry is Register nach § 22 AWG 2002 (Bevollmächtigter entry) and contract with an approved collection and recycling system (Source: ris.bka.gv.at, retrieved September 29, 2026).
In Austria, a packaging weight threshold applies: 1,500 kg per calendar year (household packaging put on the market); it sets a flat-fee band (Source: ris.bka.gv.at, retrieved September 29, 2026).
In Austria, a packaging weight threshold applies: 1,500 kg per calendar year (commercial packaging put on the market); it sets a flat-fee band (Source: ris.bka.gv.at, retrieved September 29, 2026).
Austria recognises this exemption: Participation duty lapses where an upstream distributor already participates in a system It applies without a separate application (Source: ris.bka.gv.at, retrieved September 29, 2026).
In Austria, a registration deadline falls within two months of first putting household packaging on the market (Source: ris.bka.gv.at, retrieved September 29, 2026).
Original wording
haben für ab dem 1. Jänner 2023 in Österreich in Verkehr gesetzte Verpackungen einen BevollmächtigtenSource: ris.bka.gv.at
Which Instica pages use producer?
These 2 jurisdiction pages put producer into practice, with thresholds, deadlines and fees for each.
More questions
What does producer mean?
producer means: The person a packaging law holds responsible for a product's packaging. Maine's statute defines the producer separately for each way a product is contained, protected, delivered, presented or distributed, so who counts depends on the brand and sales chain. It applies in Maine, Austria.
How to read these figures
Sources
- eur-lex.europa.eu retrieved
Original wording: It shall apply from 12 August 2026.
Original wording: by 1 June for each full preceding calendar year
- legislature.maine.gov retrieved
Original wording: "Producer" means: (1) For a product contained, protected, delivered, presented or distributed in or using packaging material
Original wording: The department shall administer and enforce this section and shall adopt rules as necessary to implement, administer and enforce this section.
Original wording: a producer is exempt from the requirements and prohibitions of this section in any calendar year in which:
Original wording: The producer realized less than $2,000,000 in total gross revenue during the prior calendar year
Original wording: products contained, protected, delivered, presented or distributed in or using less than one ton of packaging material in total
Original wording: more than one ton but less than 15 tons of packaging material in total
Original wording: does not include a nonprofit organization exempt from taxation under the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, Section 501(c)(3)
- ogd.ris.bka.gv.at retrieved
Original wording: spätestens drei Monate nach Ablauf jedes Kalenderjahres für das vorangegangene Kalenderjahr elektronisch im Wege des Registers zu übermitteln
- maine.gov retrieved
Original wording: In July 2021, the Legislature passed a law establishing Maine’s Stewardship Program for Packaging, 38 M.R.S. § 2146.
Original wording: Maine DEP to Revise Request for Proposals for Stewardship Organization. (September 11, 2026)
Original wording: Within 90 days of the SO making a registration mechanism available, producers must register with the SO.
Original wording: Producers of packaging material will annually report to the SO by May 31.
Original wording: Producers will be invoiced by July 1 and payment will be due to the SO by September 1.
- ris.bka.gv.at (2000-2086) retrieved
Original wording: Versandhändler, die keinen Sitz und keine Niederlassung im örtlichen Geltungsbereich dieses Bundesgesetzes haben
Original wording: Versandhändler
Original wording: Geldstrafe von 450 € bis 8 400 €
- ris.bka.gv.at (GeltendeFassung.wxe) retrieved
Original wording: haben für ab dem 1. Jänner 2023 in Österreich in Verkehr gesetzte Verpackungen einen Bevollmächtigten
Original wording: Bevollmächtigte ist eine natürliche oder juristische Person mit Sitz im Inland.
Original wording: Registrierung als Bevollmächtigter im Register gemäß § 22 Abs. 1 AWG 2002 unter Angabe
Original wording: nicht mehr als 1500 kg Haushaltsverpackungen in Verkehr setzen, können pauschale Lösungen angeboten werden
Original wording: nicht mehr als 1500 kg gewerbliche Verpackungen in Verkehr setzen, können pauschale Lösungen angeboten werden
Original wording: binnen zwei Monaten
Original wording: spätestens bis zum 15. März des darauffolgenden Jahres
Original wording: haben für ab dem 1. Jänner 2023 in Österreich in Verkehr gesetzte Verpackungen einen Bevollmächtigten für ausländische Versandhändler zu bestellen
Original wording: Eisenmetalle 50% 60% 65% 75% Aluminium 65% 75% Kunststoffe 60% 75% 80% 85%
Original wording: nicht mehr als 1500 kg Haushaltsverpackungen
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